Produce shipping container



April 24, 1956 w. B. CRANE 2,7

PRODUCE SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

BY WaZfofz Z5. [fa/Z6, MM W W April 24, 1956 w. B. CRANE PRODUCE SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1952 INVENTOR. WZZb/Y 5 Crane,

BY awzmfljr Mme United States, Patent 1 2,743;050;' PRODUCE SI-IIPPINGaCONTAINER The; :present' :invention;:relatesn'to improvements: in r a paperboard;xcontainen-zfor':thez shipment :or: storage .:of produce such rast tomatoes; :othenevegetables,sfruitrlzetcx; This container: is zzpreferably fabricated: oftsicornugated' board stock. The invention particularly concerns Pants: improved;= one-piece divider 1or :partition; :unitzfwhi'ch; sub.-- divides the interior'of'such: a containerintoza pair. of-zequal sized;compartments:: v

It is an-robject of =theiinventionito provideca produce. shipping 1 container; which 'scomprises s an: external casing :2 and-.endnternalsone-piecerdividen; which: divider :is char-r5 5 acterized by-a longitudinally-t extending-partition .of fin-1 verted V-shape in -.section, iby certai'nxfloorz'panels 'iWhlCh! 1: are,-- integrally hinged tonthea walls of: theedivi'derrat :the: i': lower margin; thereofand 'by' oute'r vwall elements which: aresdisposed in :inclined' relatio'mto thewwalls: of: the cas-i ingi when. the divider: is 'operatively i positioned within the: latter, the arrangement beingsuch ithat the=wa1li elements and -\/-s hapedepart-'ition.- of Q the dividerrcoact win 1a novel a: manner: with: :one ,--'another and". with thea' walls z :of allhfi 1" casing-to loek and i-eifectivelybracev the divider againstv 3 lateralshiftl ortswayi p A tstilltfurthen object: of. the. illVCHfiOlblS ltOa provide; an: improved; one -piece divider -fora containereofthe- 'abover: sort,7 ifeaturinga anainverted Al-shaped;longitudinallyt ex 1 tendingrpagrtition adapted;tooonstituteea central ;-ventilat-. 1 4 0 ing duct along the outer casing of the container, this'pares. titionwbeing aligned withacertaineholes insthe;;walls of the casing whenathe divider is .operativelyi positionedwin the: latter, the :inclined -wall elements: Of-$11116 tdivider :also': i coactng withvthe;walls =of-1he1-casing--to providevside Iven-- tilating e' ducts paralleling -and transverse of-,s the 5 pantietion". I

A [still flirt-hen objectiis toeprovidet .a dividen in which i R i thetwo-upstandingipanelasectionsvofianiinverted V-shaped partitionthave -.ventilating;;openings-; t r-their v-(hinged con nectionto the floor-panels nfitheidivider, rfori-the-ldistribution. ofuairw-from the central :ventilating ductareferredato above. to theispaces on opposite sidesrofi the-divider'ns Yet :another objectis vto-pro videaa dividerhuniti ofwthe; Y sort .described above inrvwhich sthe; improved,.;structnral featureszrnentioned above arezarranged in a manner-to e facilitate. manipulation of the divider. in rinsertingathe same 2--i into an. outer acasinga -and removing; the same 2 from r the casing.

Another objeetaof the invention-is to provide -a paperboard or corrugated. board blankvt of nimproved. outline from' which thedivider describedeabovet is fabricated;

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general, wa'yfof the nature of .the' invention. Other and more specificdobjects Willfbe apparent to those skilled in the art upon' a full"understanding' of the construction and operationof*-the'-device:

A single"-'embodiriientof 'the' invention is presented he'rein fo'r purpose of illustration; It will beappreciated thQtthd-invention may be incorporated in 'other'modified foi'ins coming'equally'withinthe' scope of the appended clairn's? Inithe drawingsnz Fig; ;1 is ;a perspective-relievesipartially:brokenazawaw illustratingithe; main1body section of a 'producershipping r containers-in :aceordancev withimyzinventionyr Figs; 2 andnB are; mespectively; viewsr inziverticalzisec a tion along 1 line :2-2-andi3-l-:3,- respeo'tively; =-.further;-i-llus trating structural details .amicrelationshipsnofzzthebdividere: and 1 associated :outer containr: unitgyand-s:

Fig.;-.4 is a topiplan .vieww-of an improvedecorrugated board :blankzemployedain fabricatingzthetzdivideiza;

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and3 of .thexdrawingsgthe'irefeFi erence numeral 10" generallyriindicates rzanyzrout eee tangular'. casing orrcontainerzbody with szwhich's 111mm proved separator-or divider- 11 ofe 'thefzinventiorris *asso ciated. Casing110:may;ibe1ofcanyeconventional construe tionsand will receive a cover aora anzoutenshell; or;:envelope not shown also:of-.any;suitable,;known typenzv Ordinaril this casing? willcarry; sidesandwend fiapstat :the? top margin or lip. I of stwallsm These have beenv omittedefromazthexs illustratedv article for the sake iofasimplicityzzr-v A ventilating h0le:12.-is formed in leachof thezopprose end -walls l3,-ofa theecasing adjacen-trthei.bottom'rthereof s. andr'a pair-oi longitudinal-ly=,spaced:holes ,141' areilikelvis. formed. in each of the; sideziwalls-til5pinaa correspondin zone. The epurposeoofe thesempeningfia Willlibfif: hereineze after referred to Y Divideraunitall in its operative; erectedmndtinstalled position in thecasinglsm compiises a centralailongifii dinally extending partitions-unit l'6lofipinverted eel-shapev crosssection, having a pair ,of-:.;liker xvalh panel'snil7i in tegrally; connected tozone another ,-bya crease-hl7ffi=along the-apex of the? dividers; Thednterion yofithesdividenzpar tition is in longitudinal alignment with ventilatingbholesis' 12, --the panels -17 straddling.- this; are'azi asaillustnatedfln Figs-2.; I V v I Floor.panelszls areiintegrally-joinedfio the divlider il alongthe bottom extremities of=theirespegtive- 86615011917 As illustrated in Figz-A; showingathe;dividerrblank,pane1s 18, are; integrally .hingeg l tozthe respective partitionspanelszrs 17 by-. 1neans-.of ;a plurality-of longitudinally:spaced lonm:-

I casing-Y side. walls; 15. (Fig. 1 2),. ,arerintegrally hingedatotc;

to .the outerrma-rginsi of the, respective floonipanelsqlfisbymr means vofna series of :aligned: creasesdfi;andeeonnecting U-shaped slits 24 (Fig. 4). These areof theisameacharer actfer as the slits and creases 19, 20, described i'above. Side. wallzpanels. :22-: 'of-1 thezblank have outwardly -fiaring or .-div'e'rgent r end: margins- 25515for'na purposeawhich will becomexevidenti fl I I Q The blank is completed ljy endwaikpanels-26 which-in" 0 operative position are inclined-upwardly 'and-'outwardly"i relative to -casing end'-'walls" 13i' Thsemanels arein-' 1 tegrally' hinged by the' spaced creases '27 "and, connecting U-'shaped-- slits 28 to'end Y margins of'ithe respective floh r panels 18. Theinner end margins 29 of the two panels 26 at either end of'the -bIank are mutually convergent, and the width of'the" panels 26'is increased somewhat at 30;-to extend outwardly beyond the lines of the two side wall panel "hinge;- creases23: 'Iheouter sideinargins 3111 of panels 26 parallel "thei respective lines of creaseslf.

The ends ofthe hingedly fconnected partition sections 17 are-extendedlbngitudinallfbeyond' the" line of the creases 27 which hinge divider end wall panels 26 to floor panels 18.

In assembling the divider in the outer casing 11, the medial partition crease 17 is manually pre-broken downwardly and the various divider wall and floor panels 18, 22, 26 are also pre-broken in the opposite direction about their respective creasesto one another and to the partition section 17. The panels 17 of partition 16 are then compressed sufliciently to increase clearance of the divider relative to the side walls of the casing, whereupon the divider is dropped or pushed into the latter. Floor panels 18 are engaged with the bottom 32 of casing 11 and partition 16 is released, whereupon its inherent resilience causes the divider unit to expand outwardly into the operative position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In this position of the divider its partition 16 and its various panels are very strongly and effectively braced by interengagement with one another. For example, end wall panels 26 have edge engagement at their respective inner, convergent edges 29 with the side surfaces of the partition panels 17, in substantially spaced relation in wardly of the longitudinally projected ends of the partition as illustrated in Fig. 3. Their outer edges 31 are directly buttressed by easing side walls 15. At the same time, the inner surfaces of divider end panels 26 are edge-engaged by the outwardly divergent end edges of the side wall panel 22 (Fig. 2). Thus any tendency of the partition 16 to sway or shift sidewardly is resisted by panels 26 and any tendency of these end wall panels 26 to shift endwise out of bracing position is efiectively contained by the panels 22 and end walls 13. This is the case even should side wall panels 22 shift inwardly somewhat, though the contents of the container will ordinarily prevent this. The floor panels 18 cannot slide outwardly. A very strong and rigid divider construction which correspondingly strengthens and rigidifies the container as a whole, is thus provided.

The respective divider end and side wall panels 26, 22, in their inclined relationship to the end and side walls 13, 15 of casing 10, afford ventilating spaces along the sides and ends of the divider, and the spaces defined by side panels 22 are open to the ventilating holes 14. The entire interior of the casing 10 is well ventilated to eliminate spoilage of produce in transit, and uniformity of distribu tion of ventilation is furthered by the small ventilating openings 21 respective junctures of the partition, floor and wall panels 17, 18, 22 and 26 of the divider. It may be noted that spoilage of fruit and produce most frequently occurs adjacent the walls of any shipping container, particularly at the bottom zone thereof. Hence the provisions described are of particular value in correcting this draw back.

It will also be noted that ventilation is further improved by the fact that the respective pairs of flap-like members which constitute the bottom 32 of outer container 10 do not quite meet at the center of the latter. This affords a bottom air opening 33 (Figs. 2 and 3) for the supply and discharge of air.

I claim:

1. A one-piece divider unit for a shipping container or the like, comprising, in operative condition, a pair of like, upstanding rectangular sections integrally hinged to one another and constituting a longitudinally extending endwise partition, said sections being disposed in inverted V-shaped outline, floor panels integrally hinged'to the lower margin of said respective sections and extending outwardly therefrom, and upstanding end wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sec- 4 said end wall panels having parallel outer side edges at an acute angle to said inner edges.

2. A one-piece divider unit for a shipping container or the like, comprising, in operative condition, a pair of like, upstandng rectangular sections integrally hinged to one another and constituting a longitudinally extending endwise partition, said sections being disposed in inverted V- shaped outline, floor panels integrally hinged to the lower margin of said respective sections and extending outwardly therefrom, upstanding end wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections, said end wall panels being disposed in outwardly inclined relation to the vertical and having acutely inclined edges in edge engagement with surfaces of said respective partition sections inwardly of the opposite ends thereof to brace said partition against lateral shift, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels along opposite sides thereof, said side wall panels having acutely inclined end edges in edge engagement with surfaces of said end wall panels inwardly of the outer edges of the latter to brace said end wall panels.

3. A shipping container including a divider unit comprising a pair of like, upstanding rectangular sections integrally hinged to one another and constituting a longitudinally extending endwise partition, said sections being disposed in inverted V-shaped outline, floor panels integrally hinged to the lower margin of said respective sections and extending outwardly therefrom, and upstanding end wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections, said end wall panels being disposed in outwardly inclined relation to the vertical and having inclined margins in edge engagement with surfaces of said respective partition sections inwardly of the opposite ends thereof to brace said partition against lateral shift, and an outer casing for said unit having vertical walls engaged by said respective end wall panels adjacent the top of the latter, said end wall panels having parallel outer edges disposed at a right angle to the hinge between the floor and end wall panels and having edge engagement along their length with opposed vertical walls of said casing.

'4. A shipping container including a divider unit comprising a pair of like, upstanding rectangular sections integrally hinged to one another and constituting a longitudinally extending endwise partition, said sections being disposed in inverted V-shaped outline, floor panels integrally hinged to the lower margin of said respective sections and extending outwardly therefrom, upstanding end wall panels integrally hinged to said fioor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections, said end wall panels being disposed in outwardly inclined relation to the vertical and having inclined margins in edge engagement with surfaces of said respective partition sections inwardly of the opposite ends thereof, to brace said partition against lateral shift, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels along opposite sides thereof, said side Wall panels having edge engagement with surfaces of said end wall panels inwardly of the outer edges of the latter to brace said end wall panels, and an outer casing for said unit having vertical end and side walls engaged by said respective end and side wall panels adjacent the top of the latter.

5. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of like rectangular partition forming sections tions, said end wall panels being disposed in outwardly inclined relation to the vertical and having acutely inclined inner edges in edge engagement with surfaces of said respective partition sections inwardly of the opposite ends thereof to brace said partition against lateral shift,

integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite side margins of said sections, and end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections and extending at a right angle to the latter, said end wall panels having adjacent, mutually facing, outwardly convergent inner side edges.

6. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of like rectangular partition forming sections integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite margins of said sections, and end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections and extending at a right angle to the latter, said end wall panels having adjacent, mutually facing, outwardly convergent inner edges and opposed outer side edges which project outwardly beyond the side margin of the floor panel and parallel the floor panel hinge.

7. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of like rectangular partition forming sections integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite side margins of said sections, end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections and extending at a right angle to the latter, said end wall panels having adjacent, mutually facing outwardly convergent inner side edges, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels along opposite sides thereof, said end wall panels having opposed outer side edges which project outwardly beyond and parallel the hinges between said floor and side wall panels.

8. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of like rectangular partition forming sections integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite side margins of said sections, end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections and extending at a right angle to the latter, said end wall panels having adjacent, mutually facing, outwardly convergent inner side edges and opposed outer edges which parallel the floor panel hinge, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels along opposite sides thereof, said end wall panels having opposed outer side edges which project outwardly beyond and parallel the hinges between said floor and side wall panels.

9. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of like rectangular partition forming sections integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite side margins of said sections, end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connection of said floor and end wall panels being located inwardly of the ends of the partition sections and extending at a right angle to the latter, said end wall panels having adjacent, mutually facing, outwardly convergent inner side edges and opposed outer edges which parallel the floor panel hinge, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels along opposite sides thereof, said end wall panels having opposed outer side edges which project outwardly beyond and parallel the hinges between said floor and side wall panels, said side wall panels having outwardly divergent end edges.

10. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of rectangular partition forming sections integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite margins of said sections, and end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connections of said end wall panels and said floor panels being at right angles to the hinged connections of said floor panels and said partition forming sections and the ends of the partition forming sections extending outwardly thereof, said end wall panels having a width at the hinged connection with the floor panels which is greater than the width of the floor panels and having adjacent, mutually facing, outwardly convergent inner edges and opposed outer edges which parallel the floor panel hinge.

11. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of rectangular partition forming sections integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite margins of said sections, and end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, the hinged connections of said end wall panels and said floor panels being at right angles to the hinged connections of said floor panels and said partition forming sections and the ends of the partition forming sections extending outwardly thereof, said end wall panels having a width at the hinged connection with the floor panels which is greater than the width of the floor panels and having adjacent, mutually facing, outwardly con vergent inner edges and opposed outer edges which parallel the floor panel hinge, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels along opposite sides thereof.

12. A one-piece blank for a container divider unit comprising a pair of like rectangular partition forming sec tions integrally hinged to one another, floor panels integrally hinged to opposite margins of said sections, and end wall panels integrally hinged to said respective floor panels at opposite ends thereof, said end wall panels having ad jacent, mutually facing, outwardly convergent inner edges and opposed outer edges which parallel the floor panel hinge, and side wall panels integrally hinged to said floor panels along opposite sides thereof, said side wall panels having outwardly divergent end edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,017 Brown June 8, 1915 1,170,776 Nagle Feb. 8, 1916 1,667,180 Willson Apr. 24, 1928 1,782,915 Weidner Nov. 25, 1930 1,946,315 Ferguson Feb. 6, 1934 1,993,112 Patterson Mar. 5, 1935 2,106,266 Bate Jan. 25, 1938 2,214,525 Murguiando Sept. 10, 1940 

